Comments on: Poppy Seed Crisps

By: Irene Saiger

Irene Saiger — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 03:11:45 +0000

Hi Anya,

My mother made farina all the time. She would allow it to harden in a wide soup bowl, then run a knife along it both horizontally and vertically and so you then had squares in the bowl. She would then pour steaming hot “yoich” on it. It would congeal and that’s how she ate it. I thought it was just awful. In Israel on the kibbutz where I lived, they would serve it plain for breakfast and then put a bowl of halvah out to mix into it. That was delicious!!

Thanks Anya!!

Irene

By: Anya

Anya — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:35:57 +0000

Irene, I was a kid watching my grandpa cooking it (sadly, he passed away); but I asked my grandmother (though she doesn’t remember it with farina, but I do remember watching grandpa adding farina). The recipe was the 1 cup of farina with chicken shmaltz and salt stuffed into the 3/4 of the chicken neck. He used to cook it in the chicken stock.

p.s. A little history about farina: in Tzar’s Russia, farina was very expensive type of flour. Only the wealthy ones could afford baking from it. Even now, reading Russian cooking books, it could say “dust the pan with flour or farina.”

By: Irene Saiger

Irene Saiger — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:08:19 +0000

Hi Anya,

I have never tried it with farina???? Do you have a recipe for that?
Chap Purim sameach!

By: Anya

Anya — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:12:28 +0000

My grandfather used to make Helzel — it was my favorite dish! I still love it very much…he staffed it with farina. Purim Sameach Irene!

By: Irene Saiger

Irene Saiger — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 03:08:34 +0000

Thank you Barbie. I love that you always write me such nice things and I do love writing about my Mom. Still waiting for a restaurant story from you!!

Irene

By: Irene Saiger

Irene Saiger — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 03:06:41 +0000

Hi Esther!! They were SO delicious. I guess one day I will try to duplicate it. For now, it is nice to remember.

Chag Sameach and congrats on Maayan!!

Love,
irene

By: Esti Friedman

Esti Friedman — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:41:16 +0000

Your mom and my grandma must have gone to the same cooking class! She too would sit patiently sewing up the chicken neck as though she was darning a sock. I don’t think I knew what it was at the time, but then again, we ate lots of things without really knowing where they came from. They were simply delicious! Purim Sameach!

By: Irene Saiger

Irene Saiger — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:37:17 +0000

Thanks for commenting Carol!! Lots of work and you have to have a very “Zen” approach. Remember the poppy seed cookies in the bakeries, with a serrated edge? Sort of like that.

Chag Sameach to you as well!!

Irene

By: Barbie

Barbie — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:06:58 +0000

Hi Irene, As you know poppy seeds are not my favorite and i don’t think i could do chicken necks, but i LOVE reading your blog and through all the stories, i feel like i knew your mother. the wonderful woman and cook that she was lives on in you! xo, barbie

By: Gleicher Carol

Gleicher Carol — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:05:04 +0000

Oh my goodness, they sound delicious and as much as I’d love to try making them, I think it’s not happening this year. Hopefully by next year I’ll be in a new kitchen and give it try!
Chag Sameach to the Saiger family!